


You Will Never Lose Blood Through Battle Wounds

by Daretodream66



Series: The Legend of Arthur [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blacksmith Bucky Barnes, Boys In Love, College Professor Steve Rogers, Fluff and Angst, I don't know how to tag this, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Someone help, Steve Rogers and Darcy Lewis friendship, There's really a ridiculous amount of fluffy love in this, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, arthurian legends, just because
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:28:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25682785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: The Legend of King Arthur is one that everyone thinks they know, but what if it wasn't what everyone thought.  And what if The Once and Future King really was coming back and what if he was bringing Merlin with him.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: The Legend of Arthur [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862365
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you that are fanatics of the Legend of King Arthur, like me, this varies that story. I became obsessed with King Arthur when I was ten and spent most of my life studying the different legends and decided to take two things that I love and combine them. So, the beginning of this story is twofold: my version of the legend comes first, followed by George and Winnie Barnes and Sarah and Joseph Rogers. The sword was never in a stone for my story, instead it’s carried within Merlin and can’t be released until he and Arthur touch, hand to hand. The same applies to Bucky and Steve.  
> I also varied the story of the Knights Templar creating two factions: one worked for the church and the other was the keeper of knowledge. My story deals with the branch that was the keepers of knowledge. Those that were the keepers are much older than those that followed the church. Also, the keepers aren’t really affiliated with the church and so weren’t accused the executed for heresy. These knights were trained for combat too, and as the centuries have progressed, they have added types of combat for more skill. And one more important thing about them, they’re all women. They keep the ‘real’ legend secret and are waiting for the return of their king.   
> As for the Avalon part of the story, for those of you that aren’t familiar:  
> Queen Mab was the ruler of Avalon when her son Oberon overthrew her. In some of the original legends he banished her in others he killed her. In mine, he banished her. The beings that live in Avalon are called ‘The Children of Oberon,’ but he’s not actually their father. For the purposes of this story, he is Merlin’s father and the Lady of the Lake (a child of Oberon) is Arthur’s mother. The second part will deal more with the Gathering and the Children of Oberon, but that doesn’t come up much in this part.

_The Lady of the Lake, Child of Oberon, speaks only to those that care to listen:_

_“Oberon, son of Queen Mab, overthrows his mother in hopes of bringing peace to the Children of Avalon. He knew, as all wise leaders do, that mixing our kind with humans is less than desirable. It thins the blood and when the Gathering comes, will cause those Halflings to come to be judged. It will not do well to have them unprepared. Those that have already been conceived are immune to these new rules, so the future son of Oberon stands strong in his future. His mortal mother bears him well, but knows not what her son’s future holds._

_Likewise, as I walked amongst the mortals, I too have been instructed to bear. My son will carry the burden that the son of Oberon will keep in safety. He will not understand who he is and will only flourish under the love and care of Merlin. Even as a child, Merlin’s sight will be much more than any mortal perception and will guide the great king to his throne. As such, I have been tasked the burden of delivering the birthed Excalibur to the rightful hands of the Once and Future King._

_Avalon forged the sword for just this occasion, but magic must keep it safely out of the hands of usurpers. For this reason, Excalibur will be a burden that the son of Oberon must carry. Only the magic of the joined two will release the sword into the hand of the King. For as long as the sword exists, so too will the children of Avalon. When death claims the two joined souls, Excalibur will be cast back into my hands, to hold until the next rising. The souls will search the other out, joining again to lead against that which would destroy us all.”_


	2. Arthur and Merlin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was the real story behind Arthur and Merlin?

_Arthur Pendragon, son of Uther Pendragon, has been on the streets since the death of his family at age 11. Now at 13 the young boy he met named Merlin has been his friend for those two years when Merlin saved Arthur from a fight that he shouldn’t have been in due to size. Arthur is gangly whereas Merlin is lanky. A year older than Arthur, Merlin seems wise beyond his 14 years and Arthur adores him. He should not being that Merlin is lame and has been since birth, but Arthur’s admiration knows no bounds when it comes to his best friend._

_Merlin is careful though, careful to never touch Arthur with his bare hands and to this Arthur has great demand. But friendships need care and nurturing and Arthur is convinced that someday he will gain the trust for such familiarity. Summer comes to their hamlet and Merlin invites Arthur to swim in the lake that sits in the shadow of the convent on the ridge. There are rumors that the lake isn’t like any other, it is home to a mysterious Lady that no one has ever seen. Swimming is difficult for Arthur’s friend because of the malformation of Merlin’s back, but he sits in the shallows and watches Arthur make his way back and forth. But during one of Arthur’s passes, something brushes his leg and he jerks, looking wildly at Merlin. “What is it Arthur?”_

_“Something…” But before he can finish, he is dragged under the surface. Merlin screams for him, pushing himself deeper and diving under. Reaching into the murky darkness, Merlin’s hand brushes that of his friend, clutching him, and pulling with all the might he possesses. The water around them begins to glow and a woman appears to them. With hair of white, but not like the elderly, she smiles dragging them through the water as though they weigh nothing._

_Once on shore, the glowing doesn’t stop, Merlin clings to his friend and without really understanding, he whispers into Arthur’s ear. “Hold out your hand.”_

_“What’s happening?” Arthur reaches out, trying to touch the glowing light that seems to be coming from their joined hands._

_“Do you trust me?” Arthur nods. “Hold out your hand.”_

_There’s a crowd gathering, watching the two boys sitting in the shallows of the lake. Arthur holds out his hand and a sword appears from the golden light. There’s a gasp from the gathered people and when the glow stops and the boys stand, the people on the shore kneel. Arthur clings to Merlin’s hand, not letting him go. “What is this about?”_

_Merlin grins. “You are the King. You hold Excalibur in your hand, a gift from my father Oberon.”_

_Merlin picks him up around the waist, twirling in circles. When he sits Arthur down, he hugs his friend. “Your back. Merlin, your back is…”_

_“Well, I’ve been carrying that thing against my spine since I was born. Now I am not.” He holds out his arms, turning in circles again, so Arthur can see._

_“Am I really a king?” Merlin nods furiously. “Then you will be my most trusted ally and council.”_

_“Is that all I will be, Arthur?” He whispers it quietly for only Arthur to hear. “Will I be more to you?”_

_Arthur leans in with all of the strength of his 13 years and whispers back, “You will be my everything if you wish to be.”_

_Merlin kneels with the rest of the hamlet and the Sisters from the Convent join them. Arthur doesn’t understand how all of this came to be, but Mother Superior promises to explain, taking Arthur and Merlin to the Convent. There he stays until his sixteenth birthday when the crown sits upon his head and he asks his only wish. Merlin watches from the shadow of a pillar. “Arthur, you have been sullen today.”_

_Arthur looks up, seeing Merlin and stands quickly. “I am not sullen, but in thought.” He pulls the crown from his head, sitting it atop Merlin’s head. “I want to join with you.”_

_Merlin is pulling the crown from his head, smirking until Arthur’s words sink in. Looking up, eyes bulging. “You want to what?”_

_Arthur kneels and takes Merlin’s hand. “We may be young, but I’ve known since I met you that this is where I would end up. You are the light in my life and I want more than just an ally and advisor, I want my other half. Join with me, Merlin. Be with me all the days of our lives.”_

_“We can’t do that and you know that, Arthur. Mother Superior would never let that happen.” The council doors open and Mother comes in._

_“You are wrong, Young Sorcerer. It would be my honor to join the two of you. You are meant to be.” Arthur beams at Merlin._

_“Join with me, today, right now.” He looks over at the Abbess, who nods. “Will you?” The answer is already in his eyes. Mother Superior wraps their hands with the binding rope and proclaims them joined as one. She then recommends they read a special tome before their ‘official’ joining. It makes both of them blush furiously, but doesn’t stop them from following the instructions. They don’t expect the intense experience and definitely aren’t expecting to feel closer than they ever have before._

_As the years pass, Arthur proves himself in battle with Merlin by his side. Merlin’s powers become a force to be reckoned with and when they enter battle together, they can’t be defeated. After one such battle, they retire to their tent and Arthur lavishes the love he feels for his other. Merlin moans out his name over and over, gasping out his love. Arthur gives everything of himself over, never needing to protect any part of his heart and body from Merlin._

_Merlin holds his love and King close as Arthur makes lazy circles on his chest. “I believe it’s time to bring the kingdoms together.”_

_Merlin, smiles. This isn’t a new discussion, but his King is right and it is time. “What is your plan?”_

_“I ask that each realm send their best fighter and we create a council of Knights.” Merlin kisses the top of Arthur’s head._

_“And how will you ensure they have a voice?” Arthur lifts his head, resting his chin on Merlin’s chest._

_“I believe I have a solution for that.” Merlin quirks an eyebrow. “A round table. No one voice is more powerful than the others, not even mine.”_

_“You are a good man, Arthur Pendragon.” Arthur slides on top of Merlin and the sorcerer grins up at him._

_“Good enough to make love to you again.” Merlin pulls him down, laughing into the kiss._

_Mordred brought with him lies and deceit. Using the spell from the old witch, he enchanted Merlin into a dream state. Believing that he’s with Arthur in their bed, he knows not that Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table fight against an enemy too great for even them. Mordred leads the opposing army into battle and strikes down the Once and Future King. Arthur lays dying on the field, but the Knights don’t stop and with the will of their King, defeat the wicked army. Merlin arrives from a golden portal and drapes himself over the body of his husband. They were careful to not use that word, but it is the truth of their relationship. With a rage only reserved for the greatest of evil, Merlin uses his sight to find the belligerent infidel. Pulling Mordred from his hiding place because evil is always cowardice, Merlin picks up Excalibur and relieves Mordred’s body of his head._

_An arrow flies in from some unknown hiding place and pierces Merlin’s breast. He falls next to Arthur and reaches out with what little strength he has left. Sir Gawain kneels next to his King, taking Merlin’s other hand. “What say you, Consort of Arthur?”_

_“Lay us to rest together.” He squeezes Gawain’s hand. “Take the sword, cast it back to the Lady. If not, she will bring a curse down upon you. You deserve not that.” Gawain takes the offered sword with his promise to do as instructed._

_The body’s of King Arthur and Merlin are wrapped as one and sent on the burial barge together. As it reaches the peak of its journey, archers fire their flaming arrows. It catches fire and all of Camelot weeps for the men that gave them glory and peace. Gawain casts the sword back to the Lady of the Lake and watches as she carries it into the depths. The great kingdom falls not long after and those that knew the story get lost in the annals of time. Over the centuries, the story changes, warps into something it was not. The greatest love of all time is omitted by those that saw it as blasphemy, but some never forgot._

_The Knights Templar, Keepers of Knowledge, kept their story pure. As generations came and went, each new generation of Knights knew the story of Arthur and Merlin in thanks to the Abbess that witnessed all. They trained in hope, they studied in deference, they protected in respect. The Once and Future King would return, as would his Royal Consort, Merlin. Hidden away, in the bowls of the ‘Convent’ the truth remained pure and protected. When the Repository finds its new home, in the New World, that truth travels with it. As does the Lady, Keeper of the Sword of Avalon._


	3. Steve and Bucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Once and Future King

James Buchannan Barnes was born in water. It isn’t an intended happening, but his parents’ untimely trip to the family cabin, the catalyst. As George swims, his wife, Winnie, lounges in the shallows of the lake. She’s been having false contractions for weeks, so thinks nothing of the tightening in her abdomen she’s having now. But when she screams her husband’s name, Little James is already making his way into the world.

It isn’t just any water, however, it’s a lake in the shadow of Lady of the Lake Repository. The building was moved from England centuries before: brick by brick, stained glass windows perfectly preserved, and contents intact. It’s been on the ridge above Heart Lake for long before George was born. There are stories about it, stories about a mystical history. George told Winnie of those stories and someday he will tell his son. The ‘Sisters’ that live there now are friends of the family because according to George’s father, the Repository’s history and the history of the Barnes family are interweaved. George didn’t know what that meant as a child, but he does now. 

Winnie makes sure to take treats to the Sisters each time they come to the cabin, and today is no exception. Before traveling the narrow road to the cabin, they had stopped in to see the ‘Sisters’ and left them with homemade pies. Now, as Winnie screams into the surrounding forest, George looks up to see the Abbess and a few of her flock standing on the ridge. He waves for help and one of the ‘Sisters’ run for the Repository. George hopes she’s calling for help.

The ambulance doesn’t make it in time.

It isn’t until Little James is born that George has to wonder if there’s a modicum of truth to the stories of mysticism he’s heard about the lake and the grounds that surround it. “We won’t know until he’s older if this will affect his movement.” Such a young child should never have to go through days of tests like poor little James. George looks at the X-rays with the doctor and knows that history has come full circle.

Winnie, holding her son, reaching for her husband’s hand. “How did this happen? Did I…”

The doctor doesn’t let her finish because this isn’t something she needs to take on herself. Dr. Erskine, sits on the bed, reaching out to place a warm hand on her arm. “You did nothing wrong. This is…well to be honest, I don’t know what could have caused this. Do not worry yourself. You did everything correct.”

Winnie gives the doctor a watery smile. “Thank you for everything you did.” Dr. Erskine smiles and leaves the room. Winnie looks up at her husband. “George?”

Sitting, he smiles lovingly at his wife, placing a hand gently on the baby’s head. “He’s perfect just the way he is. Whatever happens later, we’ll worry about then.” But worry George does. He keeps the smile on his face and loves his family with everything he has, but it doesn’t change the fact that one of the stories seems to be playing out in front of him. He goes to the Repository and asks the Abbess if he should be worried. She smiles at him kindly and tells him that nothing will harm his son. The ‘Sisters’ become quite fond of Little James and when the family stops by to drop off new treats, they doted on him like he’s one of their own.

Steven Grant Rogers is born into the world small and frail, but with an angelic look that draw people to him. He lays on the bed in front of his mother, as she wraps the tiny blue blanket around him, gathering him into her arms. “Oh, my little one, you look like the stories of the faire folk of old.”

Born six weeks too early, Steven is not expected to live to see a month of life, but Sarah knows that her son is stronger than the doctor’s believed, stronger than the nurses, her co-workers, know. Something burns in his tiny blue eyes that speak to a strength that others can’t see. Steven will be great someday. Joseph looks on at his adored wife and son, believing as she does that Steven will fight his way through whatever is thrown at him. He has only to know his wife’s history to understand the strength running through his son’s veins.

Theirs was not the story book romance to some, but to Joseph it was better. He starts his residency at Brooklyn Memorial, only to meet, his first day in his ER rotation, a fiery young woman. A rival gang member has come into the ER, brandishing a knife, looking to finish the fight that started out on the street. Sarah O’Connor walks right up to the young man, obviously hurt as well as the victim he’d sent here a few minutes earlier, kicks him in the groin, taking the knife away from him and then helping to carry him into an exam room. Joseph Rogers is in love before his 12 hour shift is over. She’s petite, golden blond headed, expressive blue eyes, and doesn’t take shit off of anyone, not even the older doctors on staff. Joseph wants to marry her that first night.

She has a way with the patients that the other nurses whisper about, but nothing can change Joseph’s mind that she’s perfect. When victims come in, frantic or irate, Sarah’s always able to calm them. With just the touch of her hands all of their anger or fear drifts away. She’s a miracle worker to Joseph, but others have other names for her. Nothing that Joseph ever listens to.

Sarah looks up into her husband’s eyes, hoping that she doesn’t see disappointment over Steven’s conditions, and there are so many. “Joseph?”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over to kiss Sarah lightly, then leaning to kiss the top of his son’s head, “He’s a fighter, just like his mother.”

She beams at him in adoration. “I think he has a bit of his father in there too.”

Cupping his wife’s cheek. “It’s my hope that he’s just like his mother.”

2012

“Anyone that wants to close that portal, can do that now.” Iron Man fires everything he has at the crazy alien army that’s trying to take over his city.

“We’re working on that!” Natasha has Thor throw her up, so she can catch the back end of one of the speeders.

“Thor, why don’t you try using your…lightning thing.” Thor vaults himself to the top of the tallest building nearby and lights up the sky, aiming it at the portal.

Clint fires another arrow. “Anyone want to answer why he’s the God of Thunder if he shoots lightning?”

“It sure would be nice if we had a big, green rage monster about now. Anyone seen Banner?” As if on cue, Bruce runs into the fight.

“I’m on it.” Suddenly turning from mild-mannered Bruce Banner, Hulk takes on a flying whale and wins.

The battle isn’t pretty, isn’t organized, but they do win. Thor returns to Asgard with Loki and the cube and the rest of them go their separate ways, to regroup for next time. Nick Fury lets them go because this turned out better than he could have planned. They are a team now, but still need down time after something like this. Tony Stark’s money helps with the cleanup and rebuilding the city. 

Washington wants the Avengers on a leash and Fury tells them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. Putting the Avengers on a leash means one thing and one thing only, Washington wants to use them for their own agenda. THAT isn’t going to happen because the Avengers won’t let it. Fury won’t let it. He keeps tabs on them, but stays in the shadows. That is until IT comes across his desk.

Phil Coulson stands in Fury’s office while the Director goes through the file. Phil’s been working on this for years in-between missions and he finally has it organized and worded, just right, to take to the man in charge. “So, you think this is real?”

“Sir, we’ve been at this long enough to know that if it seems impossible, if it seems like an mythology, there’s probably some truth to it.” Fury looks up, giving a half smile, which for him is a full-blown grin.

“You are correct, so what do you want to do?” Fury knows that Phil didn’t come here without a plan.

“I’d like to use Agent Romanov. She’s got the skills to track something like this.” Fury nods and Phil leaves, headed to the Tower. Romanov still likes to play Natalie Rushman for Ms. Potts and since the attack, that’s where Black Widow has been.

Sitting in Ms. Rushman’s office, Phil looks around at the décor. There’s nothing special about it, nothing that says Black Widow works here, but it’s still nice. The door opens and Agent Romanov comes in. “Agent Coulson, what can I do for you?”

Phil hands the file over. “I have something I want you to work on.”

She opens it, thumbing through what’s there, giving no indications that it’s surprising. “Fury know about this?”

“I never do anything without sending it past the Big Guy first.” She nods and sits. That’s the only dismissal that Phil gets. He’s happy to leave and go about his regular business. He’s sure that he’s put enough in it for her to do the job he needs. He expects at some point she’ll contact him, but he has other things to keep him busy. But first he has to make a call. _She_ answers on the third ring. “It’s in play.” Hanging up, he goes about his day.

Barbra Coulson, ‘Mother Superior’ at Lady of the Lake Repository, smiles down at the phone. Turning to her newest recruit, Kate, she reaches out. “Go tell the others to gather in the Great Hall.” Kate nods, leaving Barbra leaning back in her chair. “It’s time to come home, Arthur.” No one hears her, but it still feels like somewhere out there, he’s waiting. Her family has worked and trained for generations for this and all indications are that Arthur is out there somewhere because Merlin is just across the lake.

Natasha goes through everything Coulson gave her, but some of it she can’t decipher. It’s a language that doesn’t show up anywhere else. For months she’s been at this and it’s got her stumped and she doesn’t like to be stumped. She finally has to concede that she’s going to have to get help. That means several more days of researching to find the right person to bring in. Natasha finds just what she’s looking for at Columbia University.

Dr. Steven Rogers has one of the most popular classes on the campus at Columbia University. He’s just past thirty, holds two PhDs and isn’t hard on the eyes. After struggling his whole life with illness and chronic pain, he met Dr. Abram Erskine. The man had done much in the medical profession, but had gone into research years ago. Dr. Erskine knew Steve’s father and mother through their professions, so when Steve turned 21, Abram had suggested to his parents that their son enter a medical trial he was running. 

Now, at 31, Steve is 240 pounds of hard muscle and his illnesses are behind him. The trial had been difficult, painful even, but the end result was something that his parents couldn’t believe. Some mornings Steve gets up and still jumps in surprise at the man looking back at him. Coming to the close of the fall semester, Steve’s just looking forward to resting for a couple of weeks before throwing himself back into prepping for the January semester and working on his book.

“You will have two parts for your final, which you should remember from your syllabus at the beginning of the semester.” There are some chuckles from the student. “Yeah, I know that was a long time ago when you’re brain cells were still functioning.” That gains even more chuckles. “Make sure you are comfortable enough to write in detail about Processus Contra Temparios, that you can defend your position and that you can cite at least four sources on the matter. Everything else will be multiple choice, but you will most likely use all of the three hours allotted for this exam.” There are some groans at that. Steve chuckles. “Now, get out of here.”

Making his way back across campus to his office, many students, past and present, offer him a flirty hello. It’s something that he’s had to get accustomed to now that he looks the way he does. Because of what he looked like before and how he was treated by people then, Steve can’t take it seriously because they are seeing his outside with no care for who he really is. Getting into the building, he runs into Darcy Lewis.

“Hey beefcake, how was class?” Steve snorts. Darcy Lewis joined the history department three years ago and has been outspoken, abrasive, and none too subtle about Steve’s appearance. What Steve has learned though is because of Darcy’s voluptuous curves, she’s been taken for less than she is too, so when she calls him out on his looks, there’s actually a mutual understanding between them. Because of their close relationship, rumors start up every semester about their ‘secret’ love affair. And because they are both ‘secret’ assholes, they don’t address the rumors and even show up at functions together to keep them going. Dr. Darcy Lewis is Steve’s best friend and wouldn’t trade _that_ for anything else.

“They were happy to be let go early.” He opens his office door and goes to put his briefcase down.

“I bet. I didn’t even have mine today, just sent them an email about the final. I got a couple of ‘thank you’ emails from them.” She sits on the edge of Steve’s desk. “What’s on the menu for lunch?”

“I was thinking about that deli, with that sandwich.” Steve looks up and Darcy is nodding furiously.

“I have dreams about that thing. Grab me one too and I’ll get us next time.” Steve nods as she leaves. It’s a couple of hours before he can place an order to be delivered. Opening his laptop, he decides to get a jump on the work for next semester. If he can get a head start, he won’t have to work so hard over the break. Plus, it gives him more time to work on his book.

He and Darcy set up their food, moving all of Steve’s work out of the way, and start talking about his research. “Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got a one tract mind when it comes to this Arthurian Legend stuff?”

“Many, many times. “ The door cracks open and Jake sticks his head in. The young man works as a TA, but occasionally will take the front desk so the receptionist can get lunch. He looks terrified. Steve stands quickly. “Jake?”

“Sir, there’s someone here to see you and it’s…well…sir…” The last ‘sir’ breaks with a crack in Jake’s voice.

“Whoever it is, it’s okay Jake. Show them back. Are they here for me and Dr. Lewis?” Jake points at him and scuttles away. Seconds later, the door swings open and Natasha Romanov, Black Widow, stands in his doorway smirking. Steve immediately sees why Jake was shaken, but also sees that the woman seems to like knocking people off their game. He’s not much for people like that, ones that like to put people off kilter.

“Dr. Rogers, no one told me you looked like a runway model.” That smirk just sits there like a challenge on her face and Steve sighs. Darcy arches an eyebrow at him as if to say, ‘are you really going to take that crap off her?’

Steve gets annoyed because no, he isn’t going to take that crap off a stranger. “I’m sure you don’t mind using your looks to put people off, but I do. And I’m sure you already knew what I looked like before coming here. Isn’t that what you do or are you really not very good at your job?”

Steve sits back down and Darcy turns to face him, high-fiving him above their shared food. That wipes the smirk off of the woman’s face and she comes in, sitting in the chair next to Darcy. She looks over at the young woman, giving a look that says, leave. Darcy just shrugs and goes back to eating. No one pushes Darcy around, not even the great Black Widow. Natasha sees Steve smirk at Dr. Lewis. “Well, this was really meant for just your eyes and ears, but I see that isn’t going to happen.”

Darcy looks over. “Maybe if you’d come in with a little more respect, I’d give a little, but ya didn’t, so I won’t.”

That causes a completely different kind of smirk from Black Widow, one of respect. “Got it.” She looks over at Dr. Rogers, who’s grinning at his friend. “Dr. Rogers, I have something that I need you to look at. It was brought to me months ago and I’m not sure what to make of it.”

She hands the file over to Steve. Starting to thumb through the contents, his eyes get wider and wider. “Where did you get this?”

“It was brought to me by a higher up in my organization. I know a lot about many things, but I need an expert on this and that’s you.” Natasha looks at the man and knows he’ll help. He looks like a kid on Christmas morning.

“What is it, Steve?” Steve looks up and Widow nods. Steve comes around the desk, showing Darcy the contents. “Holy shit! Are you fucking serious?”

Natasha barks a laugh because she expected these two to have that academia attitude, but they aren’t like that at all. Having researched Dr. Steven Rogers, Natasha knew that anything he did usually involved Dr. Darcy Lewis. She also knows that there is nothing romantic going on between them, but can’t figure out why. They are, however, best friends, Nat can relate to that thinking of Clint.

“Will you help?” Steve looks up like it’s the dumbest question he’s ever heard. 

Looking back down, he’s confused at the language in some of the excerpts he’s looking at. They’re very small sections of some kind of book. But in all his years researching this legend, he’s never seen it. He can’t figure out why, but the language seems familiar. It’s like a tickle in the back of his brain that’s going to itch until he figures out the puzzle. “If this is true, it will turn historical academia on its ear.” 

Nat smiles at his enthusiasm. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”

James “Bucky” Barnes comes out the cabin limping. Today’s a bad day for his back. It’s happening more and more these days, but he keeps going because his parents told him that nothing could stop him if he was determined enough. Unfortunately, today he’s not sure if he’s determined enough. As he makes his way to the forge, his cell phone goes off. Looking down, he sees the name and smiles. “Barbra, how are you?” She told him years ago to stop calling her Sister or Mother Superior when she transitioned to the position. They aren’t that far apart in age, so it didn’t seem that big of a deal.

“Bucky, how are you feeling today?” He just sighs telling her what she wants to know. “That bad, huh? I was really hoping it was better today.”

“Yeah well, when your spine looks like an alien implanted something inside you, beggars can’t be choosers, but your sword will be done on time.” They chuckle together and continue talking for a few more minutes. After, Bucky makes his way to get the forge heated up. He hears the car before he sees it, but he’s been expecting his parents for the last few days. They know he’s having a bad week with his back and his dad always comes up to help when that happens.

Bucky Barnes is a medical anomaly and none of the doctors that he’s seen can tell him why his back is the way it is. The last doctor told him he could have reconstructive surgery and transform the whole spine, but it would mean Bucky couldn’t do what he loved anymore. That being the case, he walked out and never went back. Since he was a child, even before he knew what his spine looked like, he was obsessed with swords. As he got older, he realized that he couldn’t make a living that way, so he started making intricate furniture. Then, he started making swords just for the fun of it and after traveling to different Ren Fairs, his name got around. Now he does replicas of famous swords for Fair goers and for collectors. Currently, he’s working on a masterpiece for his friend across the lake.

George and Winnie exit the car as he comes out of his workshop. Winnie runs to him, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. She cups his cheeks, grinning. “You’re still the most handsome boy I know.”

“Come on, Ma.” He blushes and turns to take his dad’s hand. “How are you both?”

“Sweetheart, we’re fine. How much pain are you in?” Bucky tries to blow it off, but his dad looks him in the eye and he can’t.

“This weeks been pretty bad. Not like normal, when I can work through it.” George worries about his son all the time, but in recent months, it’s getting worse and that does have him concerned.

George’s hand lands on his shoulder. “Well, I’m here now and I can help. Where do we start?”

As the men go into the workshop, Winnie heads to the car to get the fresh fruit out. While they work on whatever project her son has going on, she’s going to make homemade jam and some pies. She looks across the lake to the Repository and decides to make extra for the Sisters.

After weeks of waiting for something from Dr. Rogers, Natasha picks up the phone. The Avengers just got back from South America and a situation that she doesn’t want to think about. She had to take three showers to get the smell out of her hair. Dear god she wishes that evil sons of bitches wouldn’t mutate things. 

Steve picks up sounding groggy and half-asleep. “Dr. Rogers?”

There’s some shuffling on the other end of the line. “Who is this? And why the hell are you calling me at 3 AM?”

Natasha looks over at the clock and grimaces. “I honestly didn’t know what time it was. This is Agent Romanov.”

There’s a huff that she’s pretty sure is very disgruntled. “Agent Romanov, I will talk to you tomorrow morning. After 9 AM.” The line goes dead and she’s got to hand it to the man, he really doesn’t care who she is or what she could do to him. It makes her like him because not many people treat her like she’s just a person.

Picking up her tablet, she heads into the kitchen for something to eat. “JARVIS are you still connected to Dr. Rogers’s computer?”

‘Indeed, Ms. Romanov.’

“What’s new since he started working on the file?” Pulling eggs and fruit out of the fridge, she puts them on the counter. 

‘Dr. Rogers does not have anything new with your file. It is my guess that he does his work on paper.’

She snorts at that. “Of course he does. Thank you JARVIS.” Fixing scrambled eggs with cheese and sliced fruit she sits to eat. She needs to get a look at what he’s found, but without it being digital, she’s going to have to break into his office and his home. Part of her doesn’t want to do that because she does respect him, but she also needs to fill Coulson in.

Steve bursts into Darcy’s office where her feet are propped up on her desk, she’s eating Lo Mein straight from the carton, chop sticks clicking together as she talks to one of her students. “You gave me a summary of my own lectures, kid. What did you expect to happen?” The kid looks lost, confused, and slightly ashamed.

“Dr. Lewis, if I get the extra credit turned in by tonight, will that help?” She snorts and looks up at Steve, finally. Seeing that he’s got something important to tell her, she looks back at the kid.

“I better have it by midnight or you are screwed.” He’s up and out of the chair, excusing himself around Dr. Rogers. “He’s not going to have it done in time.”

Steve looks after the kid and gives a miserable smile. “No, probably not.” Turning back, he strides to her desk, laying out what he has in his hands. “I figured it out!”

Darcy sucks the noodle into her mouth. “No shit!” She looks at everything he’s trying to show her and doesn’t understand any of it. “Explain.”

He pulls out a map, spreading it out. “The church, or whatever it was before, that they were talking about isn’t a church anymore. If it ever was. That’s questionable by some of the writings.” He pulls out a second map. “It’s a Repository and it’s right here in New York! Some of that weird writing was coordinates.”

“Get the fuck out! No way! Where?” He’s pointing at the current map of New York.

“Heart Lake.” He shows her the symbols on another paper. “In 1823 they dismantled the building in England and brought it over. In the other accounts that I’ve read, dismantled had been replaces with destroyed. Reconstruction took years, but it’s exactly the same floor plan, they’ve just renovated some of the unused portions into cells for the Sisters.” Steve turns gleefully in circles. “I’m going up this weekend. I called Mother Superior and she’s agreed to let me look around.”

“Oh man, I’m going with you, right?!” Steve nods. “Steve, you realize what this means, don’t you?”

“It means that there’s a possibility that the Legend of Arthur and Excalibur are true and proof is sitting in our backyard.” He sits on the edge of her desk. “I mean, I don’t expect it’s the legend that we’ve come to know and I’m pretty sure there’s no such person as Merlin, but Darcy…Darcy…”

She reaches out, taking his hand. “You’ve spent your professional career working on this, debunking stupid shit and rewriting the legend. This is your chance to blow the lid off what people think they know.”

Saturday morning they make their way to Heart Lake and Lady of the Lake Repository. Steve considered taking his bike, which Darcy would have loved, but not knowing what he’s going to find, he decided on his SUV instead. Darcy is dressed as casually as Steve, jeans and sweaters. Their jackets are in the back because they may need them if they have to go outside. They pull up to the building and Steve gets out. For several minutes he looks at the building and can’t believe the beauty of what he’s seeing. “They searched all over Europe for this and it’s been sitting in our back yard the whole time.”

Darcy snickers. “That does bring into question the intellect of the Avengers.”

A woman exits the building, heading straight for Steve. She’s not as old as what he expected, so he wonders if this is someone other than Mother Superior. “Behave today.” He side whispers it to Darcy, who just grins.

“Mother Superior?” She offers her hand and Steve takes it.

“Dr. Steven Rogers, it’s a pleasure. And please call me Barbra.” Steve seems stiff and with good reason. His Mom always taught him to show respect to people of faith.

He tries to speak, but comes up dry, clearing his throat he tries again. “Yes ma’am. Thank you for letting us come.”

Steve introduces her to Darcy and Mother Superior takes his arm, leading him inside. “All of the volumes I thought you might need have already been pulled. They are waiting for you in the library.”

“I really can’t thank you enough for this.” She stops at the door of what Steve assumes is the library, turning to look at him.

“What _is_ it you hope to find today?” She’s watching his face, especially his eyes. Something about her seems older than how she looks. There’s life there that he doesn’t expect to see in the face of someone in her position.

“Ma’am, I’m afraid if I tell you, you’ll think I’m crazy.” Darcy giggles at that, but the Abbess doesn’t take her eyes from Steve. Lowering his head, he takes a deep breath. “I’ve spent my career researching and writing about King Arthur and Excalibur. After deciphering sections of some articles I’ve never come across before, I found that this was the last place that the sword was said to be.”

She looks…enthusiastic. “Oh Steven, then you must let me get you a few other books. If I had known what you were looking for, I would have had them out.” They push into the library and Steve is struck dumb. This place is called a Repository for a reason. There are shelves and shelves going down either side of the walls and into a dark alcove at the back. In the center of the room is a single table.

“This place is astounding.” Barbra laughs at his surprise.

“Yes well, we are the Keepers of Knowledge here. There is a reason that this location was chosen by the Templar.” Steve’s head jerks up along with Darcy’s. “Ah, I see you did not know the circumstances of moving Lady of the Lake to America.”

“Ma’am, anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.” She motions for him to sit while she goes into the shelves to gather a few more books. 

“You will have to wear the white gloves we’ve provided for you, but you should be able to find everything you’re looking for.” She comes out of the stacks. “We are very protective of our heritage, but occasionally we share what we know with a chosen few.”

“Thank you for letting me be one of them.” She smiles warmly at him again. She’s nothing like the nuns that Steve grew up knowing. Darcy seems just as taken with her.

“Now, sit and let me tell you about our journey.” She takes the seat at the end of the table, opening one of the books that was already out. Motioning to Steve, he gets up, pulling his chair over and seating himself next to her. “Before I let you into the much older texts, you need to know why these things came to pass.” Steve nods as she opens the volume in front of her. “In 1786, as the story goes, the last of the Templar returned to the Repository and brought with them something of great import. In none of these books, that the Sisters and I can read, does it tell us what that something was. It was brought here to Lady of the Lake because we were, what is the best way to put this,” She thinks for a minute, “Protected whereas other places were not.” Steve is stuck back on the idea of Templar in 1786.

“What do you mean protected?” Steve pulls out a notebook and starts writing what she’s telling him, letting Darcy ask questions.

“Well, through many wars and battles, this building never fell, was never invaded or looted. It is said that,” She smiles at him mischievously, “It is said that Merlin himself cast a spell on us so that we would never fall to an enemy. It is documented by the first Mother Superior that this Repository stood in the shadow of Camelot.” Steve looks up like a small child hearing about Santa for the first time. “I told you we have a rich history when we spoke on the phone.” Turning the page, she points at a portrait of a man. “The Duke of Edinburg wanted to be sure we stayed protected because his sister was a member of the Repository Guild at that time. He paid for the disassembling by the very best masons, made sure the stained glass windows were preserved intact and paid to have us moved. He had been to America months before and chosen this place, purchased the land that surrounds the lake, and had us moved.”

“Was it just because of his sister?” Steve’s hoping she has a little more information.

“I can’t say for sure, but there were rumors at the time that his youngest brother, George, who they say was ‘gifted,’ believed that King Arthur was returning sometime in the next two hundred years and the place he would come from was not England. The Duke, trusting his youngest brother’s word had all this done. His sister, Elena, and George, came with the building. Elena was the abbess until her death. George studied the books and translated some of the texts. His family still lives across the lake. They come here often to visit.” Steve makes a note to find out where their house is. He made need to ask them about their ancestors. 

“Tell me more about the Templar.” She pulls another book over.

“It was believed that all of the Knights Templar perished in…” She doesn’t finish because Steve does it for her.

“1312 in the Processus Contra Templarios.”

She beams at him. “Very good, but in truth, according to these books, they were still active. If you can believe what is here, they are still among us.” Steve’s head shoots up from what he’s writing. “I cannot say if that is true, but that is the story.” She pulls another book over and opens it. The writing inside is like what Natasha brought him, which means he can read it using the key that he made. Looking up at Darcy, she’s grinning. “Can you decipher what this says, Steven?”

“Yes, I can.” She looks thrilled. “It will take time, but if you don’t mind me being here for a few weeks, maybe months, I can tell you what all of this says. How many volumes do you have?”

“There are three in all that have this same writing.” She lays a hand on his arm. “Steven you are welcome here as long as it takes.” With that, she leaves them. Steve and Darcy pull on the gloves and he starts with the first volume while Darcy starts with the others that already have translations.

As Christmas comes and goes, Bucky finishes commissions with great effort. In early February, he takes the sword that Barbra requested over to the Repository. It’s the seventh one that he’s made for her and each time she gives him very specific guidelines. It’s not a replica of anything he’s ever heard of or seen and has no idea why she orders them. He isn’t expecting to find a motorcycle where he normally parks.

He lets himself in the gate and as he’s about to grab the handle of the side door, it swing open and the man standing there freezes. “Oh…uh…sorry.” He steps aside letting Bucky enter.

“Does Barbra know you’re here?” They don’t usually have visitors and this guy doesn’t look like an academic. He looks like he should be on the cover of a magazine. Shifting the box he’s carrying to his left arm, Bucky limps into the door. He gives a side glance to the man that’s a few inches taller than Bucky, sharp cheekbones, softened by the trimmed beard, and wide blue eyes the color of the sky in spring. 

The guy just keeps staring at him and Bucky huffs in frustration. Finally, he seems to come back to himself and offers his hand, which Bucky ignores. “I’m Steve and yes, Barbra knows I’m here. I’m doing some research in the library.”

Bucky chuckles. “I guess first impressions are sometimes wrong.” The man, Steve, shuts the door and follows Bucky down the hallway.

“What first impression are you talking about?” Catching up with him, Steve doesn’t seem to be watching where he’s going as much as he’s watching Bucky. The shorter man hopes that this beautiful man isn’t trying to ‘help’ because Bucky’s limping.

“I thought you must be a model or something like that. You didn’t strike me as…” Before he can finish, Steve finishes the thought for him. It’s embarrassing, but accurate.

“Intelligent?” Bucky glances over in shame, but Steve’s grinning at him.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I tend to jump to conclusions about people.”

“And in most cases you are correct in your judgment.” Barbra comes out of her office, grinning at Bucky. “I see you’ve met Steven.” Bucky nods and her eyes light up when she sees the box. “Have you finished already?”

“This one was a little more complicated, but I think I got it right.” They go into Barbra’s office and Bucky puts the box on the reading table to the side. Steve leans against the door, trying to see what Bucky has. “You should come in here and not lurk in the doorway.”

Steve blushes, which Bucky finds endearing, but comes closer when the blacksmith opens the long box. Bucky hears the man’s breath catch when he sees what’s inside. “You made this?” Reaching out, Steve’s hand touches the blade.

“Yeah, this is what I do. Well this and furniture.” Barbra picks up the sword, stepping back and holding it out, checking the weight. She does the same thing with each one and if Bucky didn’t know better, he’d swear she knows how to use it. “Did I get it right?”

“You did perfectly.” She steps out of the office for a minute.

“That’s really amazing. I’ve never been good at making things.” Bucky turns and from Steve’s position under the window, the brunette is dumbstruck by how the afternoon sun makes him glow.

“What are you good at?” Steve looks over at the bookshelf and Bucky wonders what he’s thinking about.

“I’m good at research and teaching.” There’s something sad about how Steve says his words, but Bucky doesn’t think it has anything to do with _what_ Steve does for a living.

“Where do you teach?” Bucky goes to sit because his legs are hurting today, a by-product of a screwed up spine.

“Columbia in the history department.” Bucky winces in pain as he makes himself comfortable in the chair, Steve rushes over, kneeling in front of him. Something about it seems…familiar.

The door opens and Barbra comes in with a tray. Steve jumps back to his feet. She sits the tea on her desk and starts pouring for the three of them. They sit talking about all the little, unimportant things people, that don’t know each other well, talk about. Barbra watches the two men. The attraction is there if the way they are looking at each other from under their eyelashes is any indication.

When Bucky gets up to leave, Steve goes out with him. “You didn’t have to walk me out. I’ve been coming here since I was a baby, I know my way around.”

Steve chuckles. “Actually, I was going to stretch my legs by the lake. I’ve been cooped up inside all day.” Steve glances over at him and Bucky can feel the coming question. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”

As bad as his back is today, Bucky can’t seem to say no to this man. Something about him pulls at Bucky and he can’t refuse. “Yeah, okay.” They both pull on their gloves and head down the slope. 

They make their way down the hill and Bucky finds himself stumbling into Steve. The blond man puts a hand on his back and one on the jacket covering his arm. “You alright?” He knows the blond noticed the limp.

“Yeah, just have to watch my footing.” They make it to the lake and sit on a nearby rock. “It’s really beautiful here. Makes me glad I live just over there.” Bucky points across the lake. “You can’t really see the cabin from here, but it’s right in there.”

Steve looks where he’s pointing. “It must be nice living somewhere so quiet, with a view like this.”

“It’s quiet until my Ma comes, then not so much.” Steve laughs delightedly and Bucky watches it play across his face.

“Yeah, my Mom was the same way. She sat in on one of my classes once and I got more questions from her than all the students put together.” Bucky chuckles and looks over at Steve. He didn’t miss the past tense and sees a soft, fond look on Steve’s face like he’s remembering something good. They lock eyes for a few extra seconds. “I don’t want to be rude, but I noticed…”

Bucky sighs, but at least Steve is asking and not assuming. “Yeah, I have a problem with my back and sometimes it makes everything hurt.”

Steve looks out at the lake, seeming in thought. “Is it an injury or…”

“No, I was born with it. The doctors can’t figure out why and they can’t fix it without doing more damage.” Bucky looks over and Steve appears to find the information painful. He can’t put his finger on what it is about this man, but there’s something good there, something decent. So, to fill the silence he keeps going. He huffs a chuckle causing Steve to look at him. “They think some of the bones fused together in the womb and on the x-rays my spine and shoulder blades look like a sword.” Steve looks over in shock. “Yeah, so this pain, it’s just my life, but that’s okay because I live in this beautiful place and get to do what I like.” They don’t speak again after that. The silence isn’t overwhelming, but comfortable in a way. Bucky’s not much of a talker, but he does usually find silence oppressive. This is different.

Natasha puts in a call to Steve on Friday afternoon. She knows that he doesn’t have classes after 12. He picks up and she can almost hear him rolling his eyes. “You’re very persistent, Agent Romanov.”

“So I’ve been told. Tell me what you’ve found.” Sitting behind her desk, she pulls out a tablet to make some notes on as he talks.

“Truthfully, I’m not sure what I have yet. I’m still translating some journals and still don’t know who wrote them. The language is, as I’m sure you know, not something I’ve come across.” He waits to see how hard she’s going to push this.

“Have you gotten anything about the sword?” That’s where her focus is because that’s what she wants. After reading everything she could find about it, it seems to be the seat of power.

“Well that’s the thing, I get the impression that you want Excalibur for the power it’s supposed to hold, but if what I’m translating is accurate, it won’t work the way you want it to.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She’s annoyed and that isn’t something she likes to feel.

“The power came from the person, but I’m not sure which person. It could have been Arthur or Merlin, but it’s just a sword until one of them is wielding it.”

“Son of a bitch! That is not what I was hoping you’d say.” At first it was just a fun puzzle that Coulson brought her, but now there might be a reason to need it. The Avengers are good, but disorganized and without a leader. This new information that Thor brought back from Asgard is concerning and needs to be watched. A really powerful sword could have helped. “So, even if we found the sword, it would be worthless without Arthur or Merlin who, if they actually existed, would have died sometime before the 12th century.”

“Actually…well yes before the 12th century, but precisely during the 6th century.”

Natasha rolls her eyes. “Okay…so this is a wild goose chase that no one is going to win.” They hang up and Natasha picks up her phone again to call Coulson. Changing her mind, she shoots off a text. ‘The sword is worthless without the original wielder.’

All she gets back is a smiley face. Coulson is an odd man.

Steve gets through the last week of classes leading into spring break and heads back to the Repository with hopes that Bucky will have a reason to come by. For weeks all Steve can think about is Bucky. He tried to explain to Darcy what it was about him, but even Steve can’t put his finger on exactly what it is. Darcy just smirks at him and lets him talk. All he knows is that he keeps dreaming about him too. A man that lives with constant pain is something that Steve can relate to, even though he doesn’t have his pain anymore, but he’s so much more than the pain he deals with.

As he pulls in, Barbra is standing outside the building like she’s waiting. When Steve exits his SUV, which he brought today because of ice on the roads, she comes rushing up. “Oh Steven, I’m glad you came today. I just got a call from James…Bucky…and he needs help. I was going to go, but you’d be so much more help than I would.”

Steve braces his hands on her biceps. “What’s going on?” He feels a panic rising in his chest at the thought of Bucky being in trouble or in so much pain that he needs help.

“George and Winnie, his parents, were headed up to see him and their car got stuck on the road in.” She gives him directions and sees him on his way. It’s not until Steve has the car in sight that he realizes that he doesn’t have anything to help get them out.

Exiting the SUV, Steve sees Bucky poke his head up from the other side of his parents’ car. “Well stranger, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Winnie and George look up and Winnie does a double-take and smacks Bucky in the chest. “Oh…uh…Barbra told me what happened and asked if I would come help.” Going over to the group, Steve pulls his glove off, and offers his hand. “I’m Steve Rogers, a…friend of Bucky’s.” Winnie takes his hand, grinning.

“James, you didn’t tell us you had a friend.” George snickers and looks at his son blush from his mother’s obvious meaning. 

“Oh…yeah, Steve and I met a few weeks ago at the Repository.” Bucky looks at Steve and the look is apologetic. 

“What do you do at the Repository, Steven?” George is obviously trying to save Steve and his son the embarrassment that Winnie is going to bring on them.

“Oh, I’m doing research on the Arthurian Legends. They have a few manuscripts there that no one has ever seen. Barbra was kind enough to let me see them.” Steve looks over at Bucky, smiling.

Bucky claps his hands together, rubbing them. “Okay, chains are on the tires now, so Steve, do you think you can give the car a little nudge?” Steve nods, walking back to his car. George and Winnie get back in theirs and Bucky stands by the side of the road, helping Steve ease up just enough to push the car. Once done, he runs to his parent’s car, but Winnie waves her hands wildly and Bucky comes to the passenger side of the SUV. Steve grins and unlocks the door. “Sorry, but the backseat of their car is full. Do you mind giving me a ride back?”

“Not at all. Climb in.” Bucky looks down at his hands, covered in dirt and grease, on the ride back and Steve can’t help glancing over now and then. “Hey.”

Bucky’s eyes shoot up and he seems flustered. “Hey.” He turns in the seat as much as possible, sucking in a breath at the pain that it causes, but seems determined.

Steve reaches over, putting a hand on Bucky’s sleeve. “You okay?”

Bucky nods, looking down at the hand on his arm and Steve pulls it away quickly. “Yeah, just…cold weather isn’t my friend, but that isn’t what I want to say before we get to the house.” Steve nods for him to continue. “When we get there, my Ma is going to invite you in and ask you all kinds of invasive questions and I want to spare you that.”

“Why is she going to be so interested in me?” Steve thinks he knows, suspects, but isn’t sure.

Bucky sighs, checking the road. “Because I’m gay Steve and she thinks that anyone that’s my friend is more than my friend. You should drop me off and head back to the Repository. Otherwise she’s going to be planning our first date and you don’t give off the air that you would like that.” Having said his piece, Bucky tries to turn away.

“Well, there are two ways to solve that problem.” Bucky looks back up at Steve. “I can do what you said and just drop you off, or we can plan a first date and then she won’t have anything to do.”

“But…you’re not…are you?” Steve chuckles and Bucky can’t help smiling.

“Yes, I very much am, so what do you say to dinner tonight?” Bucky practically beams at him and it’s a really good look on him. Steve would very much like to see that look again.

“Uh…yeah…I would really like that. I’d say just come back and I’ll make dinner, but those two are staying the night. I will not subject you to Winnie Barnes over dinner.” Both of them laugh at that and Steve can definitely relate because Sarah Rogers would be the same way. 

They pull up to the house and Steve can’t believe this is the cabin. It’s not a cabin, but a home. It’s larger than he imagined and the porch wraps all around it. Off from the house is another building and it has to be Bucky’s workshop. The only word that Steve can think is picturesque. “Wow.”

“You like it?” Steve looks at him nodding. “It’s home.” George and Winnie watch the two men get out of the car. Steve looks off to the right and can see the lake. If it was covered in ice, that’s melted now, at least near the shore at Bucky’s. 

“This place is amazing!” Steve’s grinning and looking around like a kid in a candy store, Bucky is watching him in wonder, and George is watching his son’s face. If this is what he thinks, the look of wonder will only increase. George clears his throat.

“If you think this is great, let’s take a quick walk.” George nods to the lake and Steve follows him. Bucky follows and Steve comes very close to reaching out and taking his hand, but restrains himself. They get to the shore and Steve can see the Repository on the ridge above, just across the way. It’s breathtaking and he does reach out. Bucky looks down at his hand, smiling shyly and placing his own into Steve’s.

The affect is instantaneous. Steve watches as Bucky’s back arches and he screams out in pain. An unnatural golden glow engulfs their hands. Steve grabs him, holding on as what appears to be a seizure overtakes him. “Bucky?”

George comes over, looking hard at Steve. “Do you trust me?” Steve nods because what else can he do. “Go to the water and take him in with you.” Steve doesn’t understand it, but thinks that maybe this has happened before and the cold water helps. Without anymore thought, he draws the other man to the water, pulling on his hand and helping him walk, and goes to the water with Bucky still clinging to Steve’s hand. It’s freezing, but if it helps, Steve can do this. As both men have water touching them, the glow grows and suddenly, Steve isn’t cold anymore. The golden light surrounds the two of them and Bucky’s body relaxes, but still clings to Steve like a lifeline. 

Bucky grasps on to Steve, but he doesn’t appear to be in pain anymore and that’s all Steve can think about. This man should never be in pain. Winnie comes running to the shore, watching and Steve can see her and George, but can’t say anything. Looking down into Bucky’s face, Steve realizes the glow is coming from them. It’s coming from inside the two of them. Then, everything that is Steve Rogers goes offline. 

His mind fills with pictures, like watching a movie, but familiar. The two of them, in a different life, but together in a way that’s more than friends, more than lovers. He feels, more than he sees, Bucky slip from his grasp, feet settling on the lake bottom, but still clinging to him. The brunette smiles up at him and it’s luminescent. “Hold out your hand, my love.”

Steve does so without thinking and it’s suddenly filled with something, but he gives it no thought because Bucky’s kissing him now. When he lifts his head, everything makes so much sense that he laughs brightly. “Are you with me, Merlin, my beloved?”

Bucky reaches up, cupping Steve’s cheeks. “I am indeed, Arthur, my love.”

George looks across the lake to the Repository and sees the Sisters standing at the edge of the ridge, watching the glowing men. Barbra will be here with the rest of them later and he wants to explain to the men what this is all about. Yes, he knew from the time that James was born, but didn’t tell Winnie until years later. She didn’t believe him at first, but once he pulled out all of the family history, she had no choice.

Looking over, Winnie is crying and staring at the men too. “It’s true. It’s all true.” Turning to her husband, she seems saddened by this turn of events.

“Yes, and now we have to protect them. Others will want to use them, but we can’t let that happen until they understand everything.” The men are coming out of the lake and Steve looks down at his hand. 

Bucky grins at him then glancing at the sword. “It would be nice if I didn’t have to carry that in me until you show up.”

Steve stops, shivering and looks around like he doesn’t recognize anything. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

George comes over. “Let’s get you two inside and warmed up. I’m sorry this happened in winter, but we take what we can get.” They make it to the cabin and Bucky drags Steve into the downstairs master bedroom. Winnie goes to make coffee and hot chocolate with a lost, confused look on her face. George knows she’s going to need time to adjust, but she’ll come around.

Barbra watches the men leave the lake and make their way into the trees surrounding the Barnes Cabin. The glow was expected, but still surprising. She looks to the Sisters, nodding. They will have to ready themselves for what’s to come. All the training in the world doesn’t take away the sudden knowledge that their King has returned. Pulling out her phone, she sends a text to her brother. ‘It’s happened.’

His response is immediate. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

Steve watches Bucky start to strip and notices that his movements are fluid, not like before. “You aren’t in pain anymore.” It’s a simple statement and Bucky freezes as Steve runs his hand down Bucky’s back. In nothing but tight boxer briefs, it would be easy to blame the sudden chill on his undressed state, but he knows that isn’t it.

“Well, no because that is not inside of me anymore.” He points at the sword still grasped in Steve’s hand. Turning, Bucky cups his cheeks, searching his eyes. Seeing that Steve is still lost in whatever this is, he smiles. Steve returns the smile. “Put that down and get undressed. We’re getting in the shower because I’m turning blue.”

That gets Steve moving because he doesn’t want Bucky in discomfort. Placing the sword on the bed, he strips down, but loses his concentration when Bucky’s briefs hit the floor. He’s so casual about it and strides into the bathroom to start the shower. After a few minutes of just watching, steam swirls around the bathroom and Steve gets moving again. Bucky’s already in when Steve steps into the bathroom. “Are you sure about this?” They don’t really know each other, but something in Steve balks at that. Whatever that was in the water outside tells him that this is…everything.

Steve gets in, but he’s stiff and Bucky chuckles. “You need to relax, my love. Everything is okay now.” Arms slip around Steve’s waist and kisses rain down his neck. It feels new, but also so familiar that he wants to cry.

So, he does wrap arms tightly around the man against him. And for the first time in his life, something old settles into place. “Oh gods, Bucky…where have you been?”

Bucky pulls away just enough to look into Steve’s face. “I’ve been right here, waiting on you to return to me.”

They dress in sweats from the wardrobe and head to the kitchen where Bucky’s parents are quietly talking. Winnie immediately jumps up going to hug both of them. George waits until everyone has their choice of drinks and sits at the dining table. “Well boys, what can you tell us?” It’s important that they understand their situation.

Bucky looks to Steve, who is staring back at him. Bucky nods, so Steve starts. “Am I really…”

George grins. “Yes, my boy, you really are.” He looks over at his son. “And you are too.”

Bucky takes a sip, leaning into Steve’s side. The blond reaches over, putting an arm around him and pulls him even closer. George tells them everything he can, but adds that the books that Steve is translating probably give a better explanation. “So, was it an accident that Agent Romanov brought me this or did she know too?”

George doesn’t like that new piece of information. “How did this information come to you? Steven you have to understand, you are Steven Rogers, always will be, but you are also Arthur Pendragon. If someone in that organization brought this to you, I suspect they know. Do you know how she came to this lead?”

Steve shakes his head. He’s trying to reconcile what he’s hearing with everything he’s always believed. “She just said that someone above her handed it off.”

Bucky looks over, smiling. “Then we need to find out who that person is. Their wars aren’t what we fought for, but I’m sure they’d want to get their hands on you and Excalibur if they know.”

Steve looks horrified. “If they want me then they’ll definitely want you too and that’s not acceptable.”

Bucky leans his head onto Steve’s shoulder and the blond’s eyes close. That feeling of this is so new, but this is how it’s always been comes back. “You were always so much more worried about me than yourself.”

Winnie gets up, going to the sink, leaning on it heavily and sobs. George starts to go to her, but Bucky shakes his head. Before he can get up to comfort his mother, Steve gets up instead. Stepping over to her carefully, like she’s a wounded animal, he tentatively reaches out. “Mrs. Barnes, I can’t imagine how you’re feeling, maybe it’s a little like I feel, not knowing who I am, but one thing you have to know.” She turns to look at him. “I loved your son in another life, a life that’s grown to more than it actually was through false stories, but I still love him and will give my life to protect him.” She throws herself into his arms and Bucky comes to hold her too.

“You have to understand that George told me all this years ago, but it wasn’t real. As long as you two didn’t find each other, I could just put it away and not think about it.” She reaches over, cupping Bucky’s face. “Is the pain really gone?” He nods enthusiastically. She pulls him into a hug. “I’m so happy for that.” She looks up at Steve. “What are your parents going to think?”

Steve sighs and lowers his eyes. “My parents were killed by a drunk driver five years ago. All I have now is Bucky.” Winnie starts dinner to give herself something to do and George makes one more call to the Repository. 

She turns to looks over her shoulder and sees her boy looking at Steve like he’s everything. “Steven?” He looks over. “You have George and me now too.” He goes to hug her again.

Steve and Bucky go into the living room and sit near the fire. Steve sits on the rug in front of the sofa, watching the flames. Bucky adds a few more logs and comes to sit between Steve’s legs, but before he can lean back, Steve runs his hands along Bucky’s spine again. “It’s fine now. You knew the legend as well I and this is how it worked before.”

“I know, but the fact that you had to go this long carrying my burden isn’t like last time. We were kids then, you’ve carried it too long. It was too much pain this time.” Bucky turns, caressing Steve’s cheek. “I know we don’t know _this_ us, but I still love you as I always did.”

“And I love you.” He leans back into Steve’s chest and soon arms are wrapped around him. “We have time to get to know these lives. Just promise me that you will not throw yourself into every fight that comes along this time around.”

Steve barks a laugh. “Well, I’m still like that. I used to come home at least once a week with a black eye as a kid.”

“Dear gods, you haven’t changed at all have you?” Steve leans in, kissing Bucky’s neck. “Arthur?”

“Yes, Beloved?” Bucky shivers in his arms, but Steve knows it’s not from cold.

“I want to try something. I’m almost afraid to, but I want to know.” Lowering his voice, he watches his mother and knows how hard all of this is for her. “Let’s step outside.” Once on the porch, Bucky looks around and sees no one. He misses his father standing in the study window. Raising his left hand, he levitates the stack of firewood. Steve squeezes his right hand.

“Try something else.” Bucky nods, lowering the wood. Still holding his left hand out, closing his eyes, he concentrates on what he wants. Soon, fiery sparks are spinning in the air until a portal opens. Opening his eyes, Bucky maintains the open portal. “You see, you are still just as powerful as you were before.” Bucky closes his hand and the portal disappears, opening it again, he turns to the fire pit on the patio. A fireball flies from his hand and lights the wood inside the waiting bricks.

“I wonder sometimes if my power comes from how much we love each other.” Looking up, he grins.

“Well if that’s the case, then your power will only grow.” Their kiss is careful, soft, and gentle, but reaches a depth that Steve didn’t think was possible.

They eat dinner in near silence until Winnie can’t take it anymore. “Okay, I remember learning about King Arthur and Merlin, but this isn’t how the story goes. You pulled the sword from a stone, had a wife and a son with someone that was your family.”

Steve leans on the table and Bucky’s hand goes to his back. Steve closes his eyes and accepts how wrong all of the stories he’s learned have been. “The legends about us are wrong. There was never a Guinevere, there was only Merlin. We were as close to married as you could get. Merlin was my life and soul mate. Without him I was nothing.” It’s obvious that the twisted legend that’s believed now bothers Steve. Bucky rubs his back until he calms down.

Just before the meal is over, George gets up and goes to the door. The motion sensor lights have come on and the yard is full, just as he suspected it would be. This is the part that frightens George, this is the part that no matter how he tries, he can’t stop. “Steven, Buck, there’s someone here for you.” Everyone gets up from the table heading to the door. George looks over in the living room. “Get your sword, Your Majesty.”

Steve looks confused, but goes to get Excalibur, taking Bucky’s hand, they go out onto the porch. Across the lake he can see the Repository lit up like Christmas with fires burning in the four turrets, but it’s the group on the lawn that’s overwhelming. Barbra stands in full Templar dress, except the cross on the front of the tunic isn’t a cross, but Excalibur. She stands in front of all of the ‘Sisters,’ who are dressed the same. Barbra pulls her sword and the Sisters follow suit, then each of them kneel. “Arthur Pendragon, King of the once great Camelot, we, the Knights Templar, offer you our swords.”

Some long dormant memory resurfaces. “Be it known that should you offer your swords to my service, so shall you offer this to Merlin.”

Barbra looks up, smiling. “So shall we offer our swords and lives to the one great love of our King.”

“Then rise Captain and never kneel to me again. We are equals in all that we endeavor.” Barbra stands, laughing and Steve goes to her, embracing her. “You and your Knights have waited a long time, Captain.”

“You have waited longer, my King.”

A car pulls around the bend and parks next to Steve’s SUV. Barbra goes to the man getting out of the car, hugging him and drawing him into the light. “Your Majesty, I would like to introduce my brother, Phil Coulson. Phil, this is Dr. Steven Rogers, but also Arthur Pendragon.” They shake hands and she turns him to Bucky. “This is James Barnes better known as Merlin.”

“Gentlemen, it’s really an honor to meet you both. We need to talk.”

Winnie offers Phil and Barbra a plate of food, but they refuse. Barbra sends the most of her soldiers back to the Repository with orders to keep the fires burning for the next seven days, but leaves seven of them to patrol the grounds and keep the cabin safe. Phil keeps looking over at Excalibur resting against the hearth. This was the ultimate goal of taking the file to Natasha, but now that it’s here, now that it’s come to pass, Phil is trying to wrap his head around the legends of his family.

“Phil, I think you should explain why you’re here.” Barbra looks at her brother and he flushes.

“Of course.” He looks over at Steve. “Our family,” he indicates Barbra, “has been keeping the Repository together with the help of the Barnes family, who are also the descendants of the Duke’s family.” He sees that some of them don’t know about that, so he keeps going. “When the Duke of Edinburg had the building moved here in the eighteen hundreds, his brother George took the name Barnes and married a young woman named…”

“Millicent.” George interjects because it’s his family.

“Yes, Millicent and they and their children’s children have kept money funneling into the Repository since. Our grandmother, Elena was the ‘Abbess’ there and it was passed through the family to Barbra when she came of age and passed all of the rituals.” Everyone looks over at her and she shrugs. “They are what’s left of the Knights Templar.” Steve looks over shocked. “Yes, they did survive, but only a handful and all of them are female now because they could hide under the guise of a convent and no one suspected anything.” Bucky looks over and Phil smiles. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve had to go through, then and now.”

George looks at his son in question and Bucky takes Steve’s hand. “Arthur went down during the Battle of Camlann in 539. Mordred had put a spell on me and only when Arthur died did I come out of it. I went down by the hand of one of Mordred’s men, but I took him with me.” A sob breaks free and he turns to Steve. “My Lord, I am so sorry I left you.”

Steve reaches for him, pulling him into his broad chest, shushing him. “Sssshhhh my beloved, it wasn’t you. I never blamed you. I will always blame him.”

Winnie can’t help but ask. “So Mordred wasn’t your son?”

Steve’s eyes light with fire and turns to the fire to keep his temper in check. “He was _not_ my son! He used that to cast doubt in my ability as King and turned some of the surrounding kingdoms against us. To be his father I would have been unfaithful to Merlin and _that_ never would have happened.” Steve looks back at Bucky. “I could never have done that to you.”

Phil clears his throat. “The Templar have kept the Repository’s knowledge safe until it was time. We didn’t know for sure that Steve was the one we were looking for, but as soon as he told Barbra that he could translate the language in the three journals we knew for sure. Then it was just a matter of timing.” He looks down at his hands. “We were at a dead-end though and that’s why I turned part of what we had to Agent Romanov. She has skills and contacts that go deeper than mine, so I took a chance.”

Steve takes over from there. “I knew when I saw the language in the excerpts she had that the language seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place why. It took weeks, but I figured it out and created a key. I used what I had to find the Repository and started translating the journals.” He looks over, grinning at Bucky. “That’s where I found Bucky a few weeks ago. It wasn’t until I touched him today that everything came back.”

“So, are you Steve Rogers or Arthur Pendragon?” Winnie seems curious, but also anxious.

“I’m both…I mean…we’re both. I have all of my memories of being Arthur, but I’m still Steve and have all of that too. It doesn’t change who I am now, it just adds in another layer.” Steve leans back further into the stones on the hearth and Bucky follows, sitting between his legs and cuddled even closer than before. Steve’s arms wrap tightly around him and if he has his way, he’ll never be further than this away from Bucky.

“Tell us the real story of Camelot. I have a feeling it isn’t anything like what we learned in school.” Steve tells them about his life, about meeting Merlin. Bucky interjects pieces of the story as well. The room sits in rapt attention, taking in everything they are getting to hear first hand. 

“We were never able to truly marry, but we did exchange vows once.” Steve knows what Bucky is going to say before it’s out of his mouth and just grins.

“Yes, and this idiot put his crown on my head and told me it was mine because he was mine.” Bucky looks up over his shoulder and anyone in the room that may have doubted their feelings can’t any longer. Steve leans in, kissing him lightly. 

Phil clears his throat, drawing the two men back to the present. “The issue we have is the Avengers, who have been informed about the file I handed off to Agent Romanov, but not everything else that’s happened. Mr. Stark is still disbelieving, but the others are curious. I want to keep this from them for as long as possible. You need time to…acclimate to this new normal.”

“Well Phil, I’m not an Avenger and what are the odds that they are even going to believe what you’re telling them?” Bucky grins up at him. “Plus, I use a sword. I’m not sure I’d fit in with their high tech agenda.”

Bucky snorts. “Well, Thor does use a hammer, so I think you’re one up on him.” They all agree that keeping this amongst them is the best course of action for now.

Phil leaves with Barbra for the Repository and that leaves the four looking at each other unknowing what their next step should be. Bucky gives a less than casual yawn and grabs Steve to head to bed. Winnie lets herself enjoy her son trying to be discreet about what’s happening and George laughs boldly at the unsubtle way Bucky looks at the blond.

Steve stops at the end of the bed as Bucky throws himself into the mess of blankets. “Buck, we need to talk about some things.”

Bucky rolls onto his stomach, propping his head on his fist, and grins up at Steve. “Oh do we? Because I was thinking we could talk about stuff tomorrow and tonight we could just enjoy each other again.”

Steve sits carefully on the bed, leg bent at the knee and Bucky scoots over to lay his head on Steve’s thigh, looking up, still grinning. Steve closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Everything in him is saying take his ‘husband’ and worry about the consequences later, but he isn’t that man. “I want to, jesus Bucky, I want to, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Sitting up, Bucky cups Steve’s cheek. “What’s wrong? Do you not want that anymore?”

Steve clutches him and pulls Bucky against his chest. Bucky buries his nose in Steve’s neck, just breathing him in. “You know better than that. I’m not me if I don’t have you. It’s just…we don’t…this is a new life with new experiences.” Pulling Bucky away, searching his eyes. “I want to know this you too. You deserve to have me _present_. This you deserves to be _known.”_

Bucky burrows back into Steve’s neck. “And I understand that, but it’s been so long. This life has been good, if not painful.” Leaning away, he looks on this man that was everything before. “No one ever looked at me the way you do. No one wanted someone that was lame. No one’s ever wanted this me.”

Steve brushes a stray curl away from Bucky’s forehead, leaning in to kiss where it sat seconds ago. “I want everything. I want you and all the experiences of this life. There will never be a day that I don’t want all of you.”

“Then give me this, tonight.” If Steve heard right, this man, his Merlin, his Bucky, doesn’t have experience in this area and that means if he caves and agrees to this, he has to show Bucky what this can be, what it always was between them. If he opens this connection again, Steve will never be able to let go.

Steve knows he’s going to give Bucky everything anyway, so he nods. “Yes, okay, but if we do anything that you don’t like, you have to tell me.”

“When have I ever kept my mouth shut when you were doing something I didn’t like?” Steve barks with laughter.

“Very true, my Beloved.” He kisses him slowly, building to that spark of fire under the skin. The last of their clothes come off and everything in the core of the two men becomes an inferno that only the other can quell. Bucky has, quite literally, never felt anything like it and Steve, although has some experience, has never felt it like this.

Steve holds himself inside of Bucky’s body, kissing him tenderly after. Bucky blinks up at him when he pulls away, all dopy smile and half-lidded eyes. “Wow…is it always like that?”

Steve gives him another peck. “No, it isn’t. In fact, it’s never been like that for me.” He goes back to kissing Bucky to distract from any discomfort. 

The following day, they convince Bucky’s parents and those at the Repository that they need some time to themselves. Their love knows no bounds, but they also have new lives to understand. So, reluctantly, everyone leaves them alone and for the next week they do nothing, but learn about the other. Bucky has commissions to finish and Steve has papers to grade and correct. Bucky very much enjoys how Steve talks back to the student’s work and Steve _very_ much enjoys watching the muscles in Bucky back move and ripple as he works.

“Well damn!” Bucky turns around to look at Steve as the blond comes into the workshop with coffee. “All this time, I’ve been making swords for your army.”

Steve chuckles. “They aren’t my army, Buck.”

Bucky watches him over the rim of his coffee cup. “You have a hard time wrapping your head around it don’t you?”

“Yeah, a little bit. It’s like I know who I was, but that’s all starting to fade into the background.” Bucky nods for him to continue. “The first couple of days it was at the forefront, but now it’s like background noise.”

Bucky hums. “Yeah, I noticed that too.” He gets up and goes over to the draft of the new bed frame he’s working on. Steve can tell by the set of his shoulders that Bucky’s thinking something pretty serious. Hanging his head, he realizes how that might come across. Going over to the man, Steve wraps his arms around him and kisses his neck. “The only thing that’s very present for both that life and this one is you are still my everything.”

Bucky leans back into that broad chest. “Well, that’s good because I don’t know what I would do without you now that I have you.” He says it rather off-handed, but Steve knows that Bucky means every word.

They just stand, in that same embrace for a time. Steve leans down, kissing Bucky’s neck again. “I want you to listen to me and don’t interrupt.” He gets another hum, so he gives another kiss. “We’ve been out here alone for almost a week and we both have lives that didn’t involve the other one before all this. I don’t expect you to give up anything you love for me.” Bucky starts to speak, but Steve stops him. “Just listen. I have classes I have to teach and you have a job here that you need to do, but I want you in my life every day. I need you in my life every day. I love you, James Barnes, my Beloved, my Bucky. I love you and I don’t want to travel whatever road this is without you.” Steve hasn’t call him Merlin since the first couple of days because he realizes that isn’t all that this man is. This man is funny, smart, and generous and even though Merlin was too, Steve has to see this man. This man that immediately drew Steve’s attention the first time he saw him at the Repository.

Bucky turns, throwing himself into Steve’s arms. “I love you too, my Love and I don’t want you to ever be alone again. I have you back and I can’t let you go.” He truly seems worried that Steve Rogers will eventually not want James Barnes. And Steve Rogers can’t imagine a scenario where he will ever walk away from this man.

That afternoon, Steve walks into the shop again to tell Bucky that dinner is ready. What he finds makes him chuckle and causes Bucky to grin at him. The bed frame is wrought iron and too heavy to move around, so Bucky just levitates it into position, moving pieces to connect where they need to be. Bucky keeps it moving without even thinking about it. Since everything in the lake, Bucky’s been using his magic more and more. Steve even watches him, the day before, start the forge by throwing a fire ball into the keep. Sometimes it just a cup other times, like this, it’s something big. With his back to the piece, Bucky doesn’t even have to really think about what he’s doing. “Gotta say, this makes my job a lot easier.”

Steve laughs and kisses his temple. “It’s still amazing to me that you can do all of this. What is this world going to think of you?”

Bucky lowers the bed frame. “If I have my way, this world will never know about me or you.” They stare at each other for a few seconds because they know, without talking about it, that if this world, especially the Avengers, find out about them, they will be drawn into fights that aren’t of their choosing.

“We’ve got another one.” Tony looks up to find Nat standing in the door of his lab. He’s tried really hard to give her space to talk about whatever this new development is, but without information, real information, he’s finding the whole thing out of his realm of understanding.

Tony goes back to working on the new specs for the suit. “Explain.”

“It’s an attack in Africa this time. Two tribes in the Ghana have all but been wiped out.” She comes to sit on the stool across from him. “Tony, something is wiping out whole tribes of people and we have no idea what’s doing it.” 

Tony sighs and looks up. “How is this an Avenger level threat?”

“As I said, we have entire groups of people being wiped out and this is the second time. After that incident in Ireland two weeks ago and now this. How is this not an Avengers level threat?” He doesn’t understand why she’s so sure that they need to get involved, but he’s also willing to listen.

“Okay, show me.” She brings everything up on his holo-screen and starts going through what the authorities know, which isn’t much. “So, we have a village in Ireland where everyone was found dead and two tribes in Africa wiped out and all of this is…what?”

She rests her chin in her hand and looks up at him. “That’s the thing. No one can tell how any of these people died. They just are.”

“So, you’re thinking biological weapon?” He’s looking at the photographs and something really doesn’t feel right about this. Where there would normally be some kind of indication of cause of death, this has none. It’s like the people just dropped wherever they were, doing whatever it is they were doing. It’s disconcerting to say the least.

“They’re running the same tests on the Africans as they ran in Ireland, but nothing came of that. There’s nothing that says biological introduction.” She gets up and comes around the table. “Tony, we need to get boots on the ground with this. Someone needs to go in and check this out. We could have some kind of big bad out there that isn’t on anyone’s radar.”

He looks over at her, smirking. “Who did you have in mind?”

She leans her hip against the table returning his smirk. “I was thinking me and Bruce.” Tony chuckles. “Yeah, I know, he’s going to say he’s not that kind of doctor, but he’s the best that we have. Hell, he’s the best that anyone has.”

Tony nods. “Okay, have at it, Bouncy Spider, but if there’s nothing there, you have to let this go.”

She heads to the door. “I know there’s something there.”

Tony Stark has no idea how he became the default leader of the Avengers, but that’s his place now. They all defer to him and it annoys him because he just wants to help people and having to come up with battle plans is not his strong suit. But someone has to do this job, so he does. Going back to the upgrades on the suit, he can’t help the curiosity and brings the information on the situations in Ireland and Africa back up. He spends a ridiculous amount of time going through everything that’s been put together. It is strange that there’s nothing to give an indication about how all these people died. If they do have a new big bad, they’re good and by good, Tony thinks very, very bad.

George and Winnie want nothing more than to go to the cabin and insist that the two men speak to them, but each time they call, Bucky tells them ‘just a few more days.’ So, George does the only thing that he can do and goes to the Repository. He and Winnie stay in one of the rooms in the basement. He knew that the women were soldiers, but Winnie didn’t. Part of the basement are rooms for each of the women, but the other part is a training room. The Barnes’s sometimes watch the women train and are impressed with their dedication and skill. Lying in bed one night, Winnie rolls over to cuddle up to her husband. “They are really good.”

“Yes, well, most of them have been training their whole lives.” He puts his arm around his wife and draws her closer. “They didn’t even know for sure that it would happen in their lifetime, but ready themselves regardless.”

“Will they keep the boys safe?” Her son isn’t a fighter and she has no idea about Steve.

“They’ll give their lives for those two.” He kisses the top of her head in reassurance.

From the ridge he can look over where the house is, even if he can’t see the house. On one such day, he, Winnie, Barbra and Phil stand on the ridge and see the boys running in and out of the trees, chasing each other. They can also hear the echo of their laughter.

“It’s a pain in the ass not being able to go over yet, but it is good to see them getting on so well.” George looks at his wife and her smile is one that every mother gets when their kids find love.

“What did he say the last time you called?” Phil takes his eyes from the two men.

“Same as all the other times. You’re catching some flak from this, huh?” Phil nods and Barbra puts a hand on his arm. “If anyone comes, those two won’t be pushed.” Hanging his head, he sighs. “Not that anyone could push them. I don’t want your people using them.”

Phil watches as Steve catches Bucky and swings him around, while Bucky cackles in delight. “They’re not really my people. My allegiance was to those two before SHIELD recruited me.”

“Too bad you weren’t born a girl.” Barbra grins at him and Phil smacks her in the arm.

“You love throwing that in my face.” Winnie watches the siblings and wonders how they balance everything they know with their every day.

“Why do you…I don’t under…” Barbra knows what Winnie is trying to ask.

George wants his wife to understand, but when he tries to explain it, she gets caught up in being Bucky’s mother. Maybe Barbra can help her understand. “Winnie, Arthur was the greatest King this world has ever known. At a time when monarchs wanted unfettered power, Arthur offered a voice to those around him and not just a voice, but if they spun ideas that were better than anything Arthur himself could come up with, he changed course and gave them the credit. The Round Table wasn’t just an idea, it was a fact. He was an extraordinary leader.” Looking back at the two men that are now kissing passionately, Barbra blushes. “And Merlin wasn’t just an advisor. For all intents and purposes, he was Arthur’s husband and as such was given as much respect as Arthur himself. In the end, they were laid to rest together and Merlin’s last wish was for the sword to be cast back to the lake. Gawain never considered not following that order because it was given by Merlin, who Arthur loved most of all.”

“Have you had a chance to read what Steve translated?” Phil and Barbra looks at each other and back at George.

“We have and it seems to be written by someone that was there. Someone that watched the rise and fall of Camelot. We can’t be sure who it was that wrote it down and Steve hasn’t finished translating the final volume, but it does hint at something coming that…well…it could be dangerous.” Phil knows that this is what’s being whispered about at the Tower, but Fury hasn’t let him in on what it is.

“So, they’re prophecies?” Winnie takes George’s hand.

“Not until about halfway through the last volume.” Barbra looks back over to the house where Steve and Bucky have disappeared. “We need to get him to translate the rest, but we can’t ask him to do that until he’s ready.”

Bucky watches Steve sleep in their bed, leaning against the door frame. He wears this soft smile that’s a permanent fixture on his face. Deep inside, he knows that the love he feels for this man isn’t just a long ago lingering echo, who he is now is deeply in love with Steve Rogers. It seems that it’s a love that’s lived inside of him his whole life and now he has the outlet for it. Turning he goes to retrieve Excalibur and heads to the workshop.

Sending two fireballs into the forge, he waits for it to heat. Putting the sword onto the bench, he says a quick prayer to Avalon. He doesn’t want to do anything against the seat of the swords legend, but it’s been a week and Steve will have to leave soon and Bucky wants him to have something of this place to carry with him. There are times, as there were before, when he could swear that Excalibur is singing to him, he’d never tell Steve that though, just as he didn’t tell Arthur before.

It’s like a siren’s call and Bucky knows that he’s being given a message that he has to follow, but this is different. This is taking something from the sword and he’s never done that before. He sets the cloth up under the sword to catch the shavings. Bucky won’t take much, just enough to add to the silver in his stock of metals. Putting the wetstone into place and picking up the metal file, he oils the wetstone. Closing his eyes, he lets the call of the sword guide his actions.

When he has what he needs, he wipes down Excalibur and places it gently to the side. Taking the shavings, he adds them to the silver and melts it all down. Pulling out the mold that he made earlier in the week, he pours the melted mixture into both holes. Clamping the mold, so it holds its form, he waits. He’ll sand everything down this afternoon and hopefully it will come out how he wants. Looking back at the house, he hopes that Steve wants this as much as he does.

Bucky’s always had questions about his life and why he was born the way he was. Now that he understands why, he wants all of it. Merlin remembers, clearly, the vows he took with Arthur, but for some reason what he’s doing now, with the metal, feels like it’s right. Carrying Excalibur back into the house, he leaves it by the hearth. It almost feels like the greatest sword every forged is happy, chuckling to himself, he goes to fix breakfast.

Steve piles quilts in front of the fire and brings in hot coco. Once done with the drinks, he strips Bucky of his clothes and lays him out on the soft blankets. Stripping himself, he’s pulled on top of Bucky, cradled against the man’s chest and Steve can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be. “They’ve watched us again today.”

Bucky’s fingers card through Steve’s hair. “Yeah, I know. I suppose I have to go back to work day after tomorrow.” He lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’ll also have to have a long conversation with Darcy. I don’t know how much of this she’s going to believe.”

“You don’t have to tell her.” Bucky leans down, kissing the top of Steve’s head. The idea of him leaving to go back to work doesn’t sit well. “You could just tell her we met and fell in love.”

Steve chuckles, looking up, resting his chin on Bucky’s chest. “Should I also tell her that I don’t want to work anymore, I just want to be here with you?”

“You don’t seem excited about seeing your classes.” Steve lays a kiss on Bucky’s chest and pulls himself up so they’re eye to eye.

“Now, I wonder why I might not want to go back to work and leave here.” Bucky chuckles and draws Steve down into a kiss. Pulling his legs up, Bucky wraps them around Steve’s waist. Steve’s lips find every sensitive spot along Bucky’s neck and shoulders. “I love you…so much…” The last words end with a sob.

Bucky gently takes Steve’s face, forcing him to look up. Tears stain his beautiful face and Bucky crumbles with him. “Steve? Please tell me what…”

Steve buries his face in Bucky’s neck again, seeming unable to stop his crying. “I can’t…just can’t…don’t want to leave you.”

They sit up and Bucky continues to hold him. “You feel it too, don’t you?” He gets only a nod, but Steve doesn’t look up. “Don’t leave, Steve. Stay here. Whatever this is, it will only get worse if you leave.”

Steve sighs because he knows that’s not feasible. “I wish there was a way.” Bucky looks into those gorgeous blue eyes. “A way that I could…hell, I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.”

“You wish there was a way that no matter where you were or where I was, you could feel that I was okay.” They don’t talk about those last hours of their previous life, but being separated like that literally killed them both. The shiver that runs through Steve matches the one that runs through Bucky and they know the other is thinking about those last moments.

Bucky gets up, opening a portal and stepping through. Steve can see that he’s in the workshop, but doesn’t follow. He comes back through, waving his hand to close the portal. He has a small box in his hand. “Bucky?”

Sitting back in the blankets, Bucky points over at Excalibur in the corner. “Once we promised ourselves to the other.” Steve reaches over, cupping Bucky’s cheek. “And, for me, it felt like there was something more we could do, like we weren’t completely what we were supposed to be.”

Steve looks hurt. “If I ever made you feel…”

“No, my love, it was never you.” He opens the box and reveals two rings. “Do you trust me?”

“With my very soul, you know this.” Steve feels that part of himself that was Arthur coming to the forefront. “Merlin, what is this?”

“Arthur, I used Excalibur and forged these rings. We won’t just be bound by the love we share, but by the magic in the sword.” Arthur looks confused. “The sword was forged in Avalon by my father Oberon, the magic in it is ancient and binding. It’s why it response to us the way it does.”

Arthur smiles and Merlin blushes. “Are you saying you want to marry me?”

“I’m saying that I think we were always meant to be in this moment, with these rings.” Taking them from the box, Merlin can feel the magic inherent in them. Like the magic that flows through him as a gift from his father.

Arthur takes one that he’s sure is supposed to be for Merlin, although he doesn’t know how he knows that. Inspecting it closely, he sees markings on them. “What do these mean?”

“They are the symbols for alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.” Merlin blushes even more. “ _We_ are the beginning and the ending for each other.”

Taking Merlin’s hand, Arthur slides it onto his finger. “You have been my beginning and ending for all the days past and present. You have always been the other half of who I am, given to me by your father, the Great and Wise Oberon. I will honor who you are and were. I will cherish what you offer me. I will love you until there is no more, my Merlin, my Bucky, my Beloved.”

Merlin doesn’t hold back the tears because everything that Arthur is saying is exactly right. He takes the other ring, but doesn’t slide it on yet. “You will always be my beginning and ending. Back then and now, you will remain the same to me. You are my other half given to me by your mother, the Wise and Protective Lady of the Lake. I will honor you now as I did before. I will cherish all the gifts you give to me. I will love you until there is no more, my Arthur, my Steven, my Love.” Sliding the ring onto Steve’s finger, a light engulfs the house. 

From across the lake, the guards on duty see the mystical light coming through the trees where the cabin is and sound the alarm. All charge the lake and the boats kept tied to the shore. By the time they reach the other side, the light is still radiating from the cabin. They surround the cabin and wait for orders from their King. 

It takes nearly an hour for the light to die away, leaving an eerie silence from inside. Kate goes to Barbra. “Captain, what are your orders?”

Before she can answer the question, a voice comes from the forest. “You will leave them be. What has come to pass, was always foretold.”

Barbra draws her sword. “Who are you and what do you want with them?”

“Stand down, Captain. I mean no harm, but when they finally completed the circle, it drew me here.” The man is tall and looks ethereal. “As for who I am, you should ask my son.” He indicates the house.

Barbra looks at the man, then back at the house and it clicks. She takes a knee in front of him and motions for her soldiers to do the same. “Forgive me, King Oberon, I did not think you left the sanctuary of Avalon.”

“Stand Captain, I am not your King, but I do appreciate your respect.” Barbra stands and he waves her over. “You will not be able to see them for another day and when you do, changes will have happened.”

“What changes?”

Oberon smiles at the cabin. “They have joined in the way they were always meant to and considering what is coming, it is good.”

“What’s coming?”

“My mother.” In a flash Oberon is gone and Barbra looks at the house. Part of her is happy for the couple inside and part of her fears the coming storm.

“Stand guard until they come out.” Going to the lake, she pulls her phone to call her brother. He answers on the second ring. “I know what the threat is and I’m pretty sure that your people don’t have a clue how bad it is.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s Queen Mab. She’s coming.” Barbra looks around at her soldiers. They aren’t ready for this, not that anyone would be.

“How do you know?”

“Because Oberon was just here.” Phil chokes on the other end and she feels the same way.

“Holy fuck! We have to get to Rogers and…”

“Yeah, we can’t do that. We’re under strict orders by the King of Avalon to leave them alone. Something’s happened.” She proceeds to explain what drew them to the cabin. “Whatever happened in the cabin according to Oberon, it was always meant to happen.”

“Any idea what it is?”

“Not a clue and I don’t like not knowing what’s happening.” There’s a chuckle on the other end of the phone, making Barbra smile.

“That’s a family trait. Keep me posted and I’ll be up there tomorrow to help stand guard.”

She hangs up the phone and looks back at the cabin. Whatever happened in there it drew the King of Avalon. That in itself is something to write home about, but it also means the men in the cabin are on the radar of Avalon and she’s not sure that’s a good thing.

Inside the cabin, Steve makes love to his husband in a way that’s never been before. Before they always felt the closeness, but now it’s like there’s a feedback loop in his soul. He can’t get enough of Bucky and the other man seems to be in the same condition. Sitting on his knees with Bucky in his lap, he looks up into that face, that unbelievably beautiful face and the ecstasy of the other man is making Steve need him more. “Steve…”

Steve buries his head in Bucky’s neck, thrusting and clinging to him for dear life. “I…know…oh gods…Bucky…”

They only stop when they literally pass out from exhaustion. Bucky wakes first, looking around at the complete disaster of the living room. He’s dehydrated and sore all over. There are finger shaped bruises all over his body and Steve is in the same condition. Looking up at the window he sees that it’s the following afternoon if the sun’s position is anything to go by. He didn’t expect what happened the night before, the light wasn’t something he anticipated, but once the light diminished, the hunger took over. He’s never shared anything like that with Arthur or Steve.

Getting up, he needs water and Steve will too when he wakes. As he moves away from his husband, he feels the pull. Under the pull is longing. It’s not coming from him and he looks down into the eyes of the man that he loves. Steve’s looking up with a pout. He makes grabby hands at Bucky and that’s when the brunette can feel the playfulness. “Steve?”

Steve sits up so fast that he nearly falls back over. “Baby, what’s wrong? Why are you panicking?”

They both jump when the voice comes to them from the kitchen. “As you see, your connection is much stronger than before.”

Both men turn to find a tall man standing in the archway leading into the room. Steve jumps in front of Bucky to protect him from the intruder, completely ignoring his nakedness. “Who are you and what do you want?”

The man looks at Bucky. “Merlin, explain to your husband who I am.”

Bucky looks at the man, narrowing his eyes, then looks shocked. “Oberon?”

Both men, still complete naked, can feel the other become more nervous. They kneel before the King of Avalon. “You neither one owe me your deference. Stand and cloth yourselves.” Steve wraps a blanket around Bucky first before covering himself. “Now, we should talk and both of you should drink something. Last night you overexerted yourselves.” Oberon seems amused at their blush and Steve gets them water, averting his eyes from the man watching him so closely. Oberon sits in an armchair, seeming to move around until he finds a comfortable position when Steve comes back into the room. “Please sit, we have much to discuss.” Sitting back on the pallet of blankets, they make themselves as comfortable as possible. “Now, we need to talk about what happened last night. You created the rings with shaving from Excalibur.” Bucky nods in shame. “No, my son, you were supposed to have done that the first time, but better late than never, I suppose. What you didn’t know or remember until now is that Excalibur is Avalon magic and by doing so you have bound yourself to Arthur.”

“But we were bound before.” Bucky looks over at Steve and the man is staring at him in awe and adoration. 

“Yes, but now your souls are…how shall I put this…shared.” He looks at Bucky. “Do you understand my meaning?”

Steve looks over at his husband and sees the second that he understands. “You mean that…”

“Yes, half of yours is now in Arthur and half of his is now in you. You used the magic of Avalon when forging the rings or Excalibur would not have allowed it to happen. It read your intent and gave you what you needed, but now, Arthur shares in your magic and you in his.” Oberon looks over at Steve.

“But I don’t have any magic.” That makes the King laugh in delight. “Do I?”

“Of course you do. Do you think that Excalibur would come to you if you didn’t share in your mother’s magic?” Steve’s shaking his head. “Tell me Arthur, what is your husband feeling right now?”

Steve looks over at Bucky, who is staring at the floor. “He’s feeling guilty.” Turning Steve takes Bucky’s face, caressing his cheeks and kissing him lightly. “Why, Beloved? What makes you so guilty?”

“I didn’t know I would take part of your soul.” Tears gather in Bucky’s eyes and he looks pleadingly at his husband.

“Beloved, you have part of mine now too and I wouldn’t change anything. I’ve always known you were mine and I was yours. You have no reason to feel these things.” Oberon comes to them, kneeling and laying a hand on each of their cheeks. It’s unexpectedly a fatherly thing to do. He smiles down at them.

“This is what was meant to be. One cannot live without the other. Together as one, now and always. You both have the blessings of Avalon and its people. Cherish each other and honor what you have been given. Learn your new skills and flourish.” He stands and opens a portal. “You have a battle coming and it will be up to you to force back an evil this world was never meant to withstand.”

“Who’s coming?” Merlin looks at his father.

“Your grandmother.”


End file.
